Flashing direction signal for motor vehicles



Jan' Z3, 1951 o. P. WYAATT 2,538,854

FLASHING DIRECTION SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed April 4, 1949 INVENTOR. Osc/M ,Q WW? 7- r.

BY l www Patented Jan. 23, 1951 FLASHING DIRECTION SIGNAL' FOR MOTOR VEHICLES' Oscar P. Wyatt, orestHcme,` Calif.

Application April 4, 1949,r Serial No. 85,369

My invention relates to that type of flashing directicn signal for motor vehicles shown in United States Letters Patent Number 1,848,685 issued to me, March 8, i932, and the principal objects of my present invention are, to generally improve upon the construction'of the signal coveredV by my aforesaid patent, as Well as other similar types of flashing motor vehicle signals, to provide a signal of the character referred to which is simple in structure, particularly effective in indicating the intention of the driver of the equipped vehicle to make either a right hand or left hand turn and to provide means associated with the signal and located preferably on the instrument panel, to indicate Whether or not the signalling lamps are functioning properly.

Further objects of my invention are to provide a vehicle direction signal wherein two red signal lamps are disposed on opposite sides of a green signal lamp, all of which lamps are segregated by being located in individual compartments so as to more eiectively separate and define the light rays emanating from the lamps and further, to provide simple means for intermittently flashing the red signal lamps when same are energized, thus tending to render the signal more noticeable to the drivers of Vehicles approaching the equipped vehicle from both front and rear.

With the foregoing and other objects in View, my invention consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view partly in vertical section and partly diagrammatic, of my improved signal.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of my invention, II] designates a housing preferably of sheet metal, having two partitions I I, thus forming three separate lamp chambers and this housing is suitably secured on the vehicle at a point where it is readily visible to the drivers of vehicles approaching from front or rear, for instance, the rear left hand portion of the vehicle. In Fig. 1, I have shown the housing mounted transversely on top of the rear left hand fender F. Seated in the front and rear walls of the central one of the chambers in the housing, are discs or lenses I2, of green transparent material, such as glass or plastics and seated in the said walls between the partitions and end of the 1 claim. (Cl. :1w- 329) housing are discs or lenses i3, of red transparn ent material such as glass or plastics.

Suitablymounted in the central chamber withu in housing Si?, is a socket containing an electric lamp I vand sockets within the end chambers receive electric lamps i 5 and I6 respective-ly.

Suitably located within the equipped vehicle, preferably on the instrument board, is a cenventional switch which may include a base i? of insulation on which is arranged to slide, a contact plate I8 and the latter being adapted to engage, when moved to the left, three contacts i9, E@ and 2|, and when moved to the right, said plate engages three contacts 22, 23 and 25;.

Suitably mounted within the equipped vehicle, preferably on the instrument panel, is a green pilot lamp 25 and on opposite sides thereof are red pilot lamps 26 and 2l. Leading from a battery 28, is a conductor 29, having branches 3) and 3|, leading to contacts i9 and 22 respectively and leading respectively from contacts 2S and E3 are branches 32 and 33 of a conductor 34 which leads to the socket of lamp ifi, in the central chamber of housing I0. A conductor 3% leads from conn tact ZI to the socket of lamp I5, with a conventional flasher 35 located in said conductor and a conductor 36 in which is located a iiasher t8, leads from Contact 24 to the socket of lamp It.

A conductor 39 leads from the socket for lamp I4 to pilot lamp 25 and conductors it and M lead to pilot lamps 25 and 2?, respectively.

When plate I8 is in a central or olf position as seen in Fig. l, there is no current ow through the system and thus same is out of service.

To operate the signal, the driver of the equipped vehicle about to make a left hand signal, moves slide I8 toward the left, thus engaging said slide with contacts I9, 2t and 2 I, thus closing the circuits from battery 28 to signal lamps it and l5 and also to pilot lamps 25 and 2t?, to indicate that the proper signal lamps are lighted.

The current Vflow through conductor 35 will be intermittently interrupted, thereby flashing left hand red signal lamp I5, While green lamp It burns continuously, thus providing a readily visible signal of the left hand turn to be made by the vehicle.

When contact plate is shifted to its limit of movement toward the right hand, contacts 2t, 23 and 24 are engaged, so as to close the circuits to green signal lamp IA and right hand red signal lamp I6, which latter ashes as a result of interrupted current flow through member 38 and at the the same time, current flow to pilot lamps 25 and 21 lights Same to show that the signal is functioning properly. Thus, when the signal is operated, the drivers of vehicles approaching the equipped car from front and rear will readily note a turning signal consisting of a continuous green light and a ashing red light to one side or the other thereof.

An especially desirable feature of my invention is combining, in a direction signal, a constant green light with flashing red lights and the location of all signal lamps in separate compartments in the lamp housing, so that none of the direct rays of light from the segregated lamps can enter the compartments occupied by the other lamps, which function materially increases the visibility and efficiency of the signal.

Thus, it will be sen that I have provided a ashing direction signal for motor vehicles, which is simple in structure, inexpensive of manufacture and very effective in performing the functions for which it is intended. Minor changes in the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved signal may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

l claim as my invention:

In a motor vehicle direction signal, the cornbination with a housing having three separate compartments, the central one of which has transparent green front and rear windows, the other two compartments having transparent red front and rear windows, an electric lamp within each compartment, a source of'electrical energy, conductors leading from said source of electrical energy to said lamps, a switch connected to said conductors for selectively closing the circuits between said source of electrical energy and the lamp in the compartment having the green windows and either one of the lamps in the cornpartments having the red windows and means whereby the energization of the lamps in the compartments having the red windows is rendered intermittent.

OSCAR P. YATT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,288,519 Colnot Dec. 24, 1918 1,638,706 Que Aug. 9, 1927 1,848,685 Wyatt Mar. 8, 1902 2,201,657 Westland May 2l, 1948 2,243,472 Roan et al May 27, 1941 

